UPCOMING EVENTS

Microsoft and Sony both have something to brag about when it comes to 2017’s console sales.

According to Microsoft, the Xbox One console had its best January in the U.S. since launching in November 2013. However, Sony told GamesBeat that its PlayStation 4 was still the best-selling system of the month. According to Microsoft, the Xbox One was the only eighth generation console (at this point, that’s pretty much just the PS4 and Xbox One, with the Wii U just about dead before Nintendo releases the Switch on March 3) to see growth year-over-year in January.

“Thanks to continued support by our fans, 2017 is off to a strong start as Xbox One game hours grew 21 percent year-over-year,” Mike Nichols, corporate vice president of Xbox Marketing, noted in a statement sent to GamesBeat. “In addition, in the U.S., Xbox One had its best January to date and was the only eighth generation console that saw growth in January compared to the prior year according to NPD Group. Team Xbox is committed to delivering the best gaming experiences for our fans.”

Microsoft achieved this strong January without any significant game launches during the month. Resident Evil VII was the biggest, but it also came out for PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 4 versions supports virtual reality, which the Xbox One release lacks.

The PlayStation 4 did have notable exclusives in the open-world games Gravity Rush 2 and Yakuza 0.